The invention relates to meat grinding machines in general, and more particularly to improvements in meat grinders of the type disclosed in commonly owned German Pat. No. 37 44 433.
The meat grinder which is disclosed in the German patent has a barrel for a feed screw which advances meat beyond the discharging end of the barrel and into a tubular member which is separably affixed to the discharging end of the barrel by a nut. The tubular member has an extension with a lateral meat evacuating opening flanked by serrated or otherwise roughened edge faces to rip or tear the pieces of meat on their way from the extension. The extension has an end wall which is remote from the barrel and serves to rotatably support one end of an elongated shaft the other end of which receives the front end of the rotary shank of the feed screw. The tubular member has internal protuberances serving to prevent rotation of pieces of meat which are forced to advance from the barrel toward and into the lateral evacuating opening of the extension. The feed screw can be rotated by hand or by a suitable motor.
An advantage of the patented meat grinder is that is does not sever the pieces of meat but merely tears the pieces on their way toward the evacuating opening. This preserves the fibers and enhances the consistency and appearance of the product which is discharged from the extension. Such meat grinders have been found to constitute substantial improvements over conventional meat grinders which are devoid of any means for tearing or ripping the pieces of meat on their way from the barrel toward and through the evacuating opening. Moreover, the patented meat grinder can be readily taken apart to afford access to all parts which require cleaning prior to storage as well as prior to actual use.